A semi-empirical approach to model pressure dependence of elastic moduli in granular media accounting for variations of coordination-number and Poisson-ratio

The effective medium theory based on the Hertz–Mindlin contact law is the most popular theory to relate dynamic elastic moduli (or elastic velocities) and confining pressure in dry granular media. However, many experimental results proved that the effective medium theory predicts pressure trends lower than experimental ones and over-predicts the shear modulus. To mitigate these mispredictions, several evolutions of the effective medium theory have been presented in the literature. Among these, the model named modified grain contact theory is an empirical approach in which three parametric curves are included in the effective medium theory model. Fitting the parameters of these curves permits to adjust the pressure trends of the Poisson ratio and the bulk modulus. In this paper, we present two variations of the modified grain contact theory model. First, we propose a minor modification in the fitting function for the porosity dependence of the calibration parameters that accounts for non-linearity in the vicinity of the critical porosity. Second, we propose a major modification that reduces the three-step modified grain contact theory model to a two-step model, by skipping the calibration parameter–porosity fit in the model and directly modelling the calibration parameter–pressure relation. In addition to an increased simplicity (the fitting parameters are reduced from 10 to 6), avoiding the porosity fit permits us to apply the model to laboratory data that are not provided with accurate porosity measurements. For this second model, we also estimate the uncertainty of the fitting parameters and the elastic velocities. We tested this model on dry core measurements from literature and we verified that it returns elastic velocity trends as good as the original modified grain contact theory model with a reduced number of fitting parameters. Possible developments of the new model to add predictive power are also discussed.     

Estimation of gas-hydrate concentration and free-gas saturation at the Norwegian-Svalbard continental margin

We estimate the concentration of gas hydrate and free gas at an area located to the north of the Knipovich Ridge (western Svalbard margin). The method is based on P-wave velocities computed by reflection tomography applied to multicomponent ocean-bottom seismometer data. The tomographic velocity field is fitted to theoretical velocities obtained from a poro-elastic model based on a Biot-type approach (the interaction between the rock frame, gas hydrate and fluid is modelled from first physical principles). We obtain average hydrate concentrations of 7% and maximum free-gas saturations of 0.4% and 9%, depending on the saturation model.     

Long-term model of planimetric and bathymetric evolution of a tidal lagoon

This model is based on the concept of transport concentration, defined as the time-averaged concentration in a given location of a lagoon, which determines the long-term net transport of sediments as the sum of a dispersive and an advective flux. Dispersive net flux of sediments is due to the alternate components of the tidal flow, while the advective net flux of sediments is due to the residual (Eulerian) component of the tidal, fluvial and littoral flow and possibly to the asymmetry between flow and ebb tide.     

Origin of the Multiple Metric Type II Radio Burst Structure Associated with the 2002 July 23 CME

We report on the analysis of a fast (>2,000 km/s) CME-driven shock event observed with the UVCS telescope operating aboard SoHO on 23 July 2002. The same shock was also detected in the metric band by several ground-based radiospectrographs. The peculiarity of this event is the presence in the radio spectra of two intense metric type II bursts features drifting at different rates, together with clear shock/related broadenings of the O VI doublet lines observed by UVCS that were found to be temporally associated with the above radio features. The nature of these multiple radio lanes in the metric band is still under debate. One possible explanation is that they are produced by multiple shock waves generated by different ejections or, alternatively, by the flare and the associated CME. Also, emission from the upstream and downstream shock regions can produce split bands. By adopting a plausible CME model, together with a detailed analysis of the white-light, UV, and radio data associated with this event, we are able to conclude that both the radio and the UV shock signatures were produced by a single shock wave surface generated by the expanding CME.     

Seasonal transport pattern of chromium(III and VI) in a stream receiving wastewater from tanneries

Water, suspended matter and sediment samples from a system heavily impacted by wastewater from numerous small tanneries (the upper Dunajec River, southern Poland) were collected to establish the annual cycle of Cr. To study possible oxidation processes the speciation of Cr and Mn concentrations were also investigated. This study showed that Cr(III and VI) temporal and spatial distributions are regulated by coupled anthropogenic (source location and emissions) and hydrologic factors (water flow and particle transport). Chromium(III) concentrations in all compartments varied seasonally as a function of the hydrological regime, production cycle in tanneries and distance from the discharge location. Cr(III) was largely associated with the particulate phase and rapidly deposited in river bed sediments. Contaminated river sediments were however flushed during flood periods to the reservoir located downstream from tanneries. During the tanning season (November to March), Chromium(III) concentrations in the water column and total Cr concentration in sediments exceeded relevant ecotoxicological guidelines only upstream from the reservoir, which trapped about 70% of the annual Cr(III) load transported by the Dunajec river. A correlation between Cr(VI)/Cr(III) ratios and Mn concentration in sediments downstream from the reservoir suggests the possibility of Cr(III) oxidation in natural conditions.     

Outlier detection with partial information: application to emergency mapping

This paper, addresses the problem of novelty detection in the case that the observed data is a mixture of a known ‘background’ process contaminated with an unknown other process, which generates the outliers, or novel observations. The framework we describe here is quite general, employing univariate classification with incomplete information, based on knowledge of the distribution (the probability density function, pdf) of the data generated by the ‘background’ process. The relative proportion of this ‘background’ component (the prior ‘background’ probability), the pdf and the prior probabilities of all other components are all assumed unknown. The main contribution is a new classification scheme that identifies the maximum proportion of observed data following the known ‘background’ distribution. The method exploits the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test to estimate the proportions, and afterwards data are Bayes optimally separated. Results, demonstrated with synthetic data, show that this approach can produce more reliable results than a standard novelty detection scheme. The classification algorithm is then applied to the problem of identifying outliers in the SIC2004 data set, in order to detect the radioactive release simulated in the ‘joker’ data set. We propose this method as a reliable means of novelty detection in the emergency situation which can also be used to identify outliers prior to the application of a more general automatic mapping algorithm.

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Effects of continuous flow centrifugation on measurements of trace elements in river water: intrinsic contamination and particle fragmentation

Continuous flow centrifugation (CFC) is a well‐established technique used in natural surface water studies to collect large amounts of suspended solids, thus allowing a broad spectrum of measurements. However, a potential contamination or changes in the particle size distribution during the centrifugation may restrain the use of CFC effluents for element analysis in the colloidal and dissolved fractions. In this paper we evaluate the possibility of using the effluent of a Westfalia centrifuge (type KA2‐06‐075, 9700 rpm) for such analysis. This evaluation is based on two laboratory experiments with deionized and tap water and two field experiments in rivers. Elemental concentration changes across the CFC were assessed from the CFC influent and effluent after a filtration at 0·45 µm. Significant increases were found, mainly in the field experiments at a high suspended solids level and a slightly acid pH. A hypothesis was made on the origin of these increases as a superposition of a centrifuge intrinsic contamination and a particle fragmentation effect. A numerical model based on elemental concentration measurements (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) gave a particle fragmentation level of 0·55% (mass percentage of particles broken up into smaller fragments during centrifugation). In another experiment, a direct particle counting (single particle counter) shows an excess of particles smaller than 500 nm in the CFC effluent, corresponding to a fragmentation level of 0·11%. In consequence, the use of CFC effluent for element analysis is possible in low‐turbidity river or lake waters, but should be carefully considered in waters with high suspended matter contents. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thrust front segmentation induced by differential slab retreat in the Apennines (Italy)

New seismic reflection data reveal that the south‐eastward prolongation of the Apennine thrust front in the central Adriatic Sea is most likely located in a more external position with respect to the traditional interpretation. In this new interpretation, the Apennine thrust front shows a segmented geometry in correspondence to the Tremiti lithospheric transfer zone. The available data suggest that the north‐eastward flexural retreat of the subducting Adriatic lithosphere and the related frontal accretion of the Apennine accretionary prism have acted during the last 5 Ma and may be considered still lively in both the Po plain and in the Central Adriatic domain, north of the Tremiti lineament. By analysing the tectonic evolution of the Apulo‐Adriatic areas, it may be argued that the differential slab retreat between the central and southern sectors of the subducting Adriatic plate has been able to induce the segmentation of the Apennine thrust front.     

Quantitative basin characterisation to refine debris-flow triggering criteria and processes: an example from the Italian Western Alps

This paper investigates rapid channelized debris flow related to rainfalls in small alpine basins. Its goal is to evaluate and correlate different geological and technical aspects with predisposing and triggering factors that can control these phenomena. The study area is the upper part of the Susa Valley where 12 small basins were selected. For each of them, lithological, geomorphological, climatic and technical information were mapped and analysed. Debris-flow triggering conditions, flow and depositional processes were related to physical characteristics of the basin that can be easily measured and quantified. At least three different groups of basins were found: G1) basins with one event each 4–6 years, characterised by massive or blocky calcareous rocks, G2) basins with more than one event per year that show an abundance of layered or sheared fine-grained rocks and G3) basins with recurrence levels exceeding 10 years, activated only by heavy and prolonged rainfalls, marked by massive or blocky coarse-grained igneous rocks. Furthermore, important morphometric differences were found. These considerations are useful in terms of hazard zonation and risk mitigation.